Tuesday, December 28, 2010

A Short-ish History of the Book Known as Transparent

I don't talk as much about my work as I used to, mostly because I learned it's not very interesting to most people. It totally works when you have a blog circle in which you know most everyone (as I used to), but now? Not so much.

That said, I wanted to give you all a brief run down of my current project, Transparent, since many of you may not have been around long enough to know the sordid details. Now, when I refer to it vaguely you'll know what I'm talking about.

To the time line!

January 2009-April 2009There's this voice in my head. It's a girl who's invisible. She keeps telling me all about what it's like to actually be invisible, from how it feels not to have a face to the logistics of hair removal. Also, secretly staring at hot boys.

May 2009I can't take it anymore, so I write the first lines of Transparent. I name Miss Invisible Fiona, and things take off. It always takes off when I name them.

Summer of 2009Transparent becomes my "getaway" project. At the time I was editing my ninja book for the agent who would eventually offer representation, and when I couldn't stand it anymore I'd go hang out with Fiona.

Most of Fall 2009I don't even open Transparent. I go on submission with ninja book. I'm positive I will be the next big thing.

End of November 2009Starting to think I will not, in fact, be the next big thing. Decide it might be good to get a "back up" book nice and polished. I have a whopping 9 written books to choose from, so I cut it down to 3 and send partials to my agent, telling him to pick. Transparent is the one.

December 2009-March 2010I revise my butt off. I have crit partners rip and tear the book apart. I read it over and over until my eyes cross. I'm super proud of the outcome, so I send it off to agent.

March 2010Agent is not exactly enthusiastic about some of my story elements—BIG elements. A rewrite is suggested.

April 2010I freak out. Question my ability as a writer. Think long and hard about rewriting. Explore alternative plot elements. Give myself time to quell the panic. Gain 5 pounds.

May 2010I decide to rewrite. It's been a year since I started the book, and here I am starting it AGAIN. I can slightly appreciate the tragic poetry in that.

September 2010I finish the 2nd 1st draft of Transparent. Yay! Or...holy crap I have to send it to people and it could suck and then all that rewriting would be worthless.

October 2010After my own revisions, I finally cut the apron strings and send the dang thing to crit partners. I also go on anti-anxiety medication. Correlation? I think so.

November 2010The crits trickle in. They don't hate it! Oh joy! But, wow, still some work to do. But at least the plot is okay! And no one said it sucked beans! And it might actually be a presentable story, even though I'm still skeptical!

December 2010I print it out. Cover the pages with red (sometimes front and back). Get slightly overwhelmed about how much I still have to fix. Drag my feet. Play lots of Warcraft. Use the holidays as an excuse to do absolutely nothing. Also, start a random short-ish story in hopes to further avoid edits.

Finally, TODAY, I finish the paper edit.

**

There you have it! Did I mention writing is HARD? Because it is. As for the future of Transparent, I hope to finish entering edits in January and then send it off to my agent. I hope at some point this year it will be sent on submission. Hopefully sooner than later, but, well, I try not to assign dates to such things anymore. Unnecessary stress and all that.

I'm thinking I may add more to the description under the "Projects" tab. An excerpt? The opening? Something like that.

YAY Fiona and Transparent! I've loved the idea from the first moment I read it (way back when I compulsively crazily obsessively read all of your archives... *halo*). Congrats on coming so far with it.

And this? "I try not to assign dates to such things anymore. Unnecessary stress and all that." YEEEAAAH.. Lesson of 2010, for me at least.

Thanks for posting this, Natalie. :) I actually like hearing about how people's works are going, so this was exciting!! Congratulations!

Also, this was super encouraging that you've been able to persevere through all the not-wanting-to-revise. That's exactly where I am, and it's encouraging to know that someone else has been there and been victorious!

Natalie Whipple

I am an author and card-carrying nerd. My favorite areas of the nerd realm include anime, Korean dramas, good cheese, and playing mmorpgs with my family. I take pride in writing the weirdest books I can think of, and my novels TRANSPARENT and BLINDSIDED, HOUSE OF IVY & SORROW, and RELAX, I'M A NINJA are just some of my wacky ideas.